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Photoessay

Sacred Space: Faith in Transit

Two young Muslim students in conversation, representing the social bonds and community connections that flourish around shared religious spaces.

Two young Muslim students in conversation, representing the social bonds and community connections that flourish around shared religious spaces.

Shoes arranged outside the prayer room, each pair representing an individual who has paused their daily routine to observe prayer.

Shoes arranged outside the prayer room, each pair representing an individual who has paused their daily routine to observe prayer.

Prayer-wear and hijabs stored in labeled bins to reflect the practical organization required when sacred rituals intersect with institutional spaces, with the items carefully sorted and maintained.

Prayer-wear and hijabs stored in labeled bins to reflect the practical organization required when sacred rituals intersect with institutional spaces, with the items carefully sorted and maintained.

Prayer rugs laid across carpeting creates an immediate transformation of space - geometric patterns and traditional designs to mirror a modern room into a mosque.

Prayer rugs laid across carpeting creates an immediate transformation of space - geometric patterns and traditional designs to mirror a modern room into a mosque.

The prayer space expands into a larger room where the community gathers, bamboo dividers providing privacy while large windows connect the sacred interior to the bustling city beyond.

The prayer space expands into a larger room where the community gathers, bamboo dividers providing privacy while large windows connect the sacred interior to the bustling city beyond.

The Washington Square Arch frames the window from the prayer space that overlooks the park, symbolizing the intersection of American education and diverse religious practices in urban academic environments.

The Washington Square Arch frames the window from the prayer space that overlooks the park, symbolizing the intersection of American education and diverse religious practices in urban academic environments.

Two women in prayer demonstrate the universality of Islamic worship - regardless of the contemporary setting, the fundamental acts of devotion remain unchanged.

Two women in prayer demonstrate the universality of Islamic worship - regardless of the contemporary setting, the fundamental acts of devotion remain unchanged.

Islamic texts and religious books crowd together on a shelf, their ornate covers and Arabic calligraphy representing centuries of scholarship and spiritual guidance accessible to the community.

Islamic texts and religious books crowd together on a shelf, their ornate covers and Arabic calligraphy representing centuries of scholarship and spiritual guidance accessible to the community.

A young woman in hijab sits contemplatively before bamboo screens, embodying the quiet dignity and personal reflection that characterizes individual prayer within communal space.

A young woman in hijab sits contemplatively before bamboo screens, embodying the quiet dignity and personal reflection that characterizes individual prayer within communal space.

A corridor view captures students moving through the community space.

A corridor view captures students moving through the community space.

Classmate Profile

Audio assignment

Emotions evoked: Empathy, Admiration, Resilience, Awareness, Inspiration

Designing Around the Wheel

“Designing Around the Wheel” follows fashion designer Anthony Offiah, who approaches fashion as both an art form and a rebellion against convention. The piece captures Anthony’s creative evolution—from his early fascination with design to his experimental label Heaven Concealed— showing how he uses gender-fluid, upcycled fashion to challenge industry norms. Through immersive natural sounds and candid reflections, the story paints an intimate portrait of an artist redefining what fashion can mean, feel, and represent.

NdeyeMajesty: Dressing with Dignity

Maguette Badiane founded NdeyeMajesty after struggling to find modest fashion that reflected her identity as a Black Muslim woman. Frustrated by having to choose between her faith and her style, she created a brand that challenges Western society's misconceptions of modest fashion as oppressive, instead framing it as empowerment and choice. Her journey has been marked by significant obstacles — from finding manufacturers who understood her vision to navigating language barriers that cost her thousands of dollars, and balancing quality with affordability to serve the community she designs for. Despite moments of wanting to quit, Maguette persists, motivated by other Muslim small business owners and grounded by her purpose: creating a space where Muslim women feel seen, beautiful, and valued. For her, success isn't measured in profit but in the connections she makes with customers who finally find clothing that honors their faith, culture, and identity on their own terms.